Adjustable wrench, including right and left thread sliding jaw adjusting means



y 1, 1956 L. P. STRlCKLETT ETAL 2,743,641

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH, INCLUDING RIGHT AND LEFT THREAD SLIDING JAW ADJUSTINGMEANS Filed March 8, 1954 l! WW WW W ATTORNEYS United States Patent i)ADJUSTABLE WRENCH, INCLUDING RIGHT AND LEFT THREAD SLIDING JAW ADJUSTINGMEANS Lloyd P. Stricklett and Joseph W. Horvath, Racine, Win, assignorsto New Tools Co., Inc., Racine, Wis, a can poration of WisconsinApplication March 8, 1954, Serial No. 414,683

2 Claims. (Cl. 81-463) This invention relates to an adjustable wrench.

An object of this invention is to provide an adjustable socket wrenchembodying a pair of jaws with means for adjusting the jaws relative toeach other and also locking the same in adjusted position.

The wrench herein disclosed is designed particularly for use withrelatively large nuts or bolts and includes a T-shaped handle which willprovide the desired leverage to loosen or tighten the nut or bolt.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable wrench ofthe heavy duty type embodying a wrench head with a removable T-shapedhandle wherein the crosspiece of the handle is transversely adjustableand removable relative to the shank, so that when not in use the wrenchmay be collapsed to small size.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in thearrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in thedrawing and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of a wrench constructed according to anembodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure2.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral designates generally a body memberwhich is formed of parallel side plates 11 connected together at theopposite ends thereof by means of end plates 12 to thereby form arectangular body or frame structure. The body or frame structure 10forms a guide for a pair of adjustable jaws, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

A pair of complementary jaw members, generally indicated at 14, aredisposed at one side of the frame or body 10 and the jaw members 14 areprovided with a pair of lugs 13 engaging on the outer sides of the sidemembers 11, as shown in Figure 3. Each jaw member 14 is provided with astem 15 extending between the side members 11, and a screw shaft 16 isjournalled between the end members 12.

The screw shaft 16 is provided with reversely threaded portions 17 and18 so that rotation of shaft 16 in one direction will effect movement ofthe jaws 14 toward each other, rotation of shaft 16 in the oppositedirection will effect movement of the jaw members 14 away from eachother.

The shaft 16 is provided at one end with a reducing stud 19 rotatablyengaging in an opening 20 formed in one of the ends 12, and the otherend of the screw shaft 16 is formed with a smooth peripheral surface 21rotatably extending through an opening 22 formed in the opposite end 12.

The shaft 16 is also formed with a polygonal stud 23 for engagement by awrench or the like, end shaft 16 is provided with a smooth inner end ofthe polygonal stud 23 which is of a diameter less than the diameter ofthe shaft 16.

A holding plate 25 is formed with an opening 26 through which thereduced portion 24 rotatablyengages, and plate 25 is secured; to theadjacent end wall 12 by means of a fastening member 21. A Ul-shapedmember 28 has the parallel legs or sides 29 thereof overlapping thesides 11 of the frame or body 10 and secured as by welding 30 to thesides 11.

The bight 31 of U-shaped member 28 is provided with a central polygonalsocket 32 with which the nut end 33 of a handle structure 34 is adaptedto be engaged. The handle structure 34 includes an elongated shank orbar 35 having an enlarged outer end 36 provided with a transverseopening 37 through which a bar 38 extends, and bar 38 is secured in theopening 37 by means of a set screw 39.

The shanks 15, which are slidable between the inner faces of the sidewalls 11 of body 10, have secured thereto a plate 40 which is formedwith an offset 41 slidably engaging between the sides 11. The plate 4-0is secured to the adjacent end of a shank 15 by means of a bolt orfastening element 42.

The plate 40 with the bolt 42 provides a means whereby the jaws 14 may,after being adjusted toward or from each other, be firmly locked againstmovement one relative to the other. This is done by tightening up on thebolts 42 so that plate 40 will cooperate with the jaw member 14 inlocking the jaw member against movement lengthwise of the side members11.

In the use and operation of this wrench structure, the jaw members 14are adjusted toward or from each other by rotation of screw shaft 16.The wrench herein disclosed is particularly designed for relativelylarge nuts or bolt heads for which conventional socket wrenches are notavailable.

After the jaws 14 have been properly adjusted relative to each other,the handle 34 may be engaged with the U-shaped member 28 by extendingthe polygonal stud 33 into socket 32. The transverse bar 38 may then berotated to either loosen or tighten the nut to the: desired degree.

What is claimed is:

l. A wrench comprising a body member formed of parallel side walls, endwalls secured to said side walls, a pair of socket forming membersslidably engaging the forward edges of said side walls, a pair ofrearwardly projecting flanges carried by each member engaging the outerfaces of said side walls for holding said members against turning, apolygonal shank integral with each member and slidably engaging betweensaid side walls, a shank adjusting screw shaft rotatably carried by saidend walls and engaging through said shanks, means holding said shaftagainst endwise movement, adjustable locking means carried by saidshanks and engaging the opposite or rear edges of said side walls, and aill-shaped socket fixed to said side walls and projecting rearwardlytherefrom, said socket having a polygonal opening in the bight thereof.

2. A wrench comprising a body member formed of parallel side walls, endwalls secured to said side walls, a pair of socket forming membersslidably engaging the forward edges of said side walls, a pair ofrearwardly projecting flanges carried by each member engaging the outerfaces of said side walls for holding said members against turning, apolygonal shank integral with each member and slidably engaging betweensaid side walls, a shank adjusting screw shaft rotatably carried by saidend walls and engaging through said shanks, means holding said shaftagainst endwise movement, adjustable locking means carried by saidshanks and engaging the opposite Patented May 1 1956 cylindrical surface24 in the 3 or rear edges of said side walls, a U-shaped socket fixed tosaid side walls and projecting rearwardly therefrom, said socket havinga polygonal opening in the bight thereof, and a handle formed of a shankhaving a polygonal forward end engageable in said socket and having atransverse opening adjacent the rear end thereof, and a lever barengaging through said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4Spaulding Sept. 1, McDaniel May 4, Stensland July 7, Pall Apr. 10,Broxton May 22, Scovill July 24,

